I have followed Senator Burr’s refusal to allow a hearing to fill the long-vacant seat on the Eastern NC District Court. Senator Burr denied the chance of a Senate hearing to fill the position from two highly-qualified female African-American nominees for that important position.

I am offended that President Trump nominated Thomas Farr, the chief private attorney who defended North Carolina redistricting maps and a voter identification law authored by Republican state legislators that got struck down. Farr is much less qualified than Federal Prosecutor Jennifer May-Parker and Retired NC Supreme Court Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson.

Now there is a move to rush more of President Trump’s judicial appointments through. Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s indictments of key Trump associates demands that all action to confirm Trump nominees must cease until the investigation is complete. The chance that the sitting president will be charged with conspiracy against this nation is too great to comply with. He must not be allowed to appoint the judges who will impact our law for generations. Stop the confirmation process now.

On August 26th in 1920, women won the right to vote – Women’s Equality Day. In conjunction with the annual celebration of this event, we will recognize the continued struggle for women to gain full constitutional inclusion by bringing the film, Equal Means Equal, to the big screen in Asheville, Raleigh and Fayetteville.

NOW Urges that ​Senator(s) filibuster the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch and, should a filibuster fail, vote “no”.

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There are many things wrong with this man as a judge and worse as a Supreme Court justice.

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According to NOW, “Neil Gorsuch has a long history of hostility towards the claims of workers, consumers, children, immigrants, LGBTQIA people, incarcerated people, people with disabilities, and others seeking protection from the privileged and powerful. Equally disturbingly, “his track record on money in politics comes down decisively on the side of billionaire donors and big corporations.” As if that weren’t enough: Gorsuch has shown, through previous judicial decisions, that he is not a supporter of women’s rights, will not protect their access to birth control, nor their constitutional right to abortion through Roe v. Wade.”

Neil Gorsuch Photo Credit: Aaron Burnstein/Reuters

From another view, can you imagine the Republicans allowing Hillary Clinton to nominate someone to the Supreme Court while she was under investigation by the FBI and by Congress?

Please join some of NC’s progressive organizations as we speak out against Trump Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch on Monday, March 20, at 11am, at 310 New Bern Ave, in front of Senator Thom Tillis’ office. See the facebook event for “Media event: Progressives speak out against Neil Gorsuch” at https://www.facebook.com/events/143022306221621/

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NOW Urges that Senator(s) filibuster the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch and, should a filibuster fail, vote “no”.

Main issues described in NOW’s brief.

Republicans do not deserve control of this stolen seat.

Gorsuch has a history of hostility toward all kinds of regular and disadvantaged people seeking protections from the privileged and the powerful.

He tends to rule for billionaire donors and big corporations.

He has a frightening willingness to limit women’s access to health care.

December is busy with some celebrating and some reminiscing. Indoor event in Raleigh on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016. Outdoor holiday parade and march in Durham on Saturday, Dec. 10.

Join Raleigh NOW on Tuesday, Dec. 6, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of NOW with the documentary “She’s beautiful when she’s angry,” looking at why NOW was founded. Think about how far we’ve come. On the flip side, I am sure we’ll want to discuss how far we still need to go, as shown with the presidential campaigning and election.

First, we mourn this great unexpected loss. Hillary Clinton was everything many of us wanted in a president – a compassionate, resilient, intelligent woman and politician with the necessary experience and temperament for the job of leading our country. Clinton had an inclusive vision, policy knowledge and skills to spare. You can read “133 reasons (and counting!) Hillary Clinton should be our next president,” Huffington Post, 10/28/16. At the same time, you can read why the Trump/Pence ticket was and is our greatest fear. For many or most of us, a fear not even recognized as a real possibility until it happened before our shocked and disbelieving eyes. Read why we fear Trump and for the safety of friends and neighbors and minorities of all kinds at “An American Tragedy.” Many of us feel, as the article states, “[t]he election of Donald Trump to the Presidency is nothing less than a tragedy for the American republic, a tragedy for the Constitution, and a triumph for the forces, at home and abroad, of nativism, authoritarianism, misogyny, and racism. ” That bad. Donald Trump is America’s “Brexit” (New York Times, June 2016). The world is still wondering ‘How did Brexit happen,’ 6/24/16, in the same way it wonders how did Donald Trump win.

Then we buck up and look toward the future. We suggest a few main things to do, once we get our minds around this new and darker future.

Very excited about the Women’s Equality Day screening of ‘Equal Means Equal’ in NC. Friday, Aug 26, at 4pm, in Manteo!

This is a must-see! Pulls you in right away. Do you remember these terrible quotes? “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down!” Recent past, people. See the trailer here! Print your own copies or jump to links at Equal_Means_Equal_Announcment_Manteo_LVW_ERA_Links_v2_2016.

The House failed to concur with the Senate budget on Thursday (06/08/2016); therefore, a conference committee will be appointed with representatives from both the House and the Senate to negotiate a final budget. The negotiations will be conducted behind closed doors, but there will be rumors and leaks to indicate—accurately or inaccurately—how the negotiations are progressing.

Rumors are swirling that the House and Senate are close to a deal on HB2—but there is no agreement on what could be in the deal. The Republicans are caught between the religious right—who wants them to do nothing—and business interests—who want them to make it all go away. There are a lot of alternatives available:

(1) Do nothing and let the courts handle the matter. This would make the religious right happy.

Join us to deliver the Pro-Choice Signature Ad Packets to our legislators at their offices in Raleigh on Monday, 5/23/16. We run our pro-choice signature ad in Indy Week every year to commemorate the Roe v. Wade anniversary. Later during the year, we deliver packets including signature ads to our legislators to remind them of the many pro-choice residents of our state.